National Trail Guides UK HOME   FOOTPATH GUIDES NATURE SOUNDS THE AUTHOR THE SPONSOR         NATIONAL TRAIL GUIDES Pennine Way Wolds Way Two Moors Way   Southern Upland Way Footpath Guides :: Two Moors Way :: Day 5 Dales Way

Contents : TWO MOORS WAY           Introduction   Day 1   Day 2   Day 3   Day 4   Day 5       THE TWO MOORS WAY STRETCHES ACROSS DARTMOOR AND EXMOOR     NATIONAL TRAILS GUIDES UK - DETAILED DESCRIPTIONS & GALLERIES           Day 5 :: Exquisite Weather and Views :: Knowstone to Lynmouth :: 28 miles           Originally, I had planned to cover 12.5 miles today and finish the remaining 16 miles tomorrow.  But Carol was due to return home tomorrow and this would mean that she would not be able to complete the path.  I decided, if Carol agreed, to combine the two and finish the path today.  Carol agreed. It was this stretch of the route that I had most looked forward to and as the weather was so fine it was with joy in my heart that I began today.  Notwithstanding I could not run and that walking was sometimes difficult, I knew that I would enjoy myself today on Exmoor. We began our journey today from Knowstone and left the village, passing the recycling pavilion (a wooden shed bearing three orifices for the consummation of clear, green and brown glass) following the road, and turning left at the first road junction.  This led to a path through many fields on Owlborough Moor, until passing through a tiny woodland known as New Moor Plantation which ended abruptly where it met the B3227. Crossing the road the Two Moors Way now led across Easter New Moor, and out onto a minor road at Highfield Head, beside a large barn.  We now followed a road straight ahead, bordered on each side with brown hedgerow and a green verge with yellow daffodils.  Far ahead of us we could now see West Ansty Common, on Exmoor, which we hoped soon to be upon. The road led us to Yeo Mill, a twee rural village.  In the village was an interesting house, having a bright red roof and a muddy-looking second roof and clock tower.  In the centre of Yeo Mill was an attractive narrow stone bridge over the River Yeo.  Everywhere around us woodland birds chorused as we paused to wander for a short while along the wooded river bank.  The sun was trying to come out and we wished desperately that it would.  Although the weather was fair it was not yet sunny, but for all the world it looked about to change.               Two Moors Way after passing the Wychwood   Two Moors Way further along the bridle way           Leaving Yeo Mill we turned right into the village of Wychwood and stopped for a few minutes to absorb the serenity and tranquility of the place.  Just off the road was a tributary to the Yeo set within a copse of trees.  The sun shone momentarily and woodland birds again chorused us.  It was all too much, and we again relaxed for several minutes before continuing on our way. After a short while we left the road to take a bridle path on our left leading up a narrow, muddy track, enclosed by tall hedgerows and leading us towards West Anstey.  The bridle path was not too long, but climbed rather steeply, as we were now ascending the fringe slopes of Exmoor.  Leaving the bridle path via a metal gate we joined a minor road and passed by the village of West Anstey.  Remaining on the road we pressed on for a short distance until, with gratitude, we arrived at Badlake Moor Cross and left behind us the metalled roads.  Most of our route would now take us across access land, away from roads, traffic and civilisation.             Emerging from the bridle path to West Anstey   West Anstey           Immediately after crossing a cattle grid we turned off the road to follow a sandy track on our right.  Our path led through a huge tract of yellow flowering gorse, and everywhere to our left as we climbed our track we could see gorse.  Our path, after only a few yards, divided into several different paths all leading in different directions.  We guessed at the most promising (the right-most) and took it.  We chose the correct route. Our path was wide and easy to follow.  At places along its route were puddles of rainwater, but the sky was now a bright azure blue, the sun having at last melted away the morning clouds.  And it was now very hot.  We were sticky and thirsty. At first we followed a hedge boundary to our right, but this soon turned away from us and our path continued north, crossing the Ridge Road.             Start of Badlake Moor   Two Moors Way at start of Badlake Moor         The marzipan-like fragrance of gorse was ever present as we pushed against the ascending contours, but as we met and crossed the Ridge Road and entered Anstey Money Common, the steep slopes evened out and made for far easier walking.  The views across the Common were breathtaking.  This part of Exmoor was not too barren and in the distance the rolling foothills of Exmoor were farmed. Our path guide referred to the Vernford Stone, which marked an important left turn from our track, along a less obvious track and in the direction of Hawkridge.  Alas, we must have passed it by without seeing it, and without seeing a track to our left, and soon found ourselves on a road above West Hollowcombe Wood.  Had we followed the correct path we would have emerged on the same road, but much further along towards Hawkridge.  But we had no idea where we were.  As fortune would have it a farmer passed in a tractor.  We stopped him and he soon put us right.  He told us that he, too, had not seen the stone for several years.             Gorse in every direction   Crossing the Ridge Road         We followed the road, downhill, in the direction of West Hollowcombe village.  After some time we observed the path from the Vennford Stone as it emerged onto our road from the left.  We were a little miffed at the time we had wasted, but moved on quickly, down hill.  As we neared the bottom of the road we could hear the sound of rushing water.  Approaching the bridge a passing car stopped and we were invited to take a ride into Withypool.  With a renewed sense of ambition we chimed a “thanks, but no thanks” type of reply.  It would have meant a tremendous saving in time and footwear, and Withypool was still some distance ahead of us, but we wanted to complete the route under our own steam.             Two Moors Way after crossing the Ridge Road   Anstey Money Common         Ahead of us was Slade Bridge and Dane’s Brook and a very steep climb up the road to West Hollowcombe.  As we crossed the bridge we stopped to admire the view in each direction along the Brook.  That to our left provided the better view.  The Dane valley ran through West Anstey Common, between rolling hills and copse.  Each side of the river, in the distance, was daubed with yellow and green moorland whilst in the foreground we could see the deep, lush, variegated greens of woodland and light green fields. After a short interval admiring the views on our flanks we took the winding road over a cattle grid and climbed steeply uphill towards West Hollowcombe.  The sun continued to beat down upon us as we endured the climb, and as we neared the summit a fingerpost sign pointed our way through a wooden gate in the hedgerow and across a field to our right.  Joy!  We were about to take a shortcut around the crest of the hill we were climbing – or so we thought.  Ahead lay a field of grass with a large hill barring our way.  Although there was no clear path to follow it was obvious that we must climb the hill to progress further.             Danes Brook   View West from Slade bridge             Stump of the Marker Tree   View to West Anstey Common from Hawkridge Cemetery           Walking on a bearing of 44 degrees we were looking out for a marker tree that had once stood in the centre of the path, mid-way to the field’s exit.  The tree was no longer existing as such, but had been reduced to a stump.  Nevertheless, it was simple to detect and we made our way across the field and towards a wooden gate that exited the field and returned us to the road that we had not long left, but left us much further along. Turning right as we re-joined the road we past the only building that appeared to make up West Hollowcombe and shortly after entered the village of Hawkridge, a pleasant, quaint village sporting an attractive church and cemetery, from which there were pleasant views across West Anstey Common. After leaving the church our route crossed a few fields to Great Cleave Wood and along its perimeter to Row Down Wood.  Although the day was still young the sun shone bright and the sky was an azure blue.  Birds chirped merrily from within the wood.  We crossed the end of a road and a fingerpost sign pointed us in the direction of Parsonage Farm, which lay along a narrow road with a copper beech hedge on one side and Row Down Wood on the other.  Below the wood, as yet not visible to us, was the magical River Barle.             Egress from Westwater Farm   TMW along road towards Parsonage Farm             View over the Barle Valley   Another view over the Barle Valley           From Parsonage Farm we had a choice of routes.  The more attractive route lay along the valley bottom, along the River Barle through a wooded valley.  The alternative route, the Withypool Hill route, however, was the shorter and we were pressed for time.  We had already decided upon this route.  Although not as beautiful it was nevertheless an attractive route to walk.   From Parsonage Farm the alternative route crossed the tops of fields above North Barton and Westwater Woods and passed through Westwater Farm, with its range of buildings.  The remainder of our route into Withypool, several miles distant, took us along a minor road above the Barle valley, and edged slowly into the valley.  At Withypool the road would join the Barle.                          At first the road was heavily hedged on each side, spoiling our view in each direction.  Our fortune soon changed, however, as we crossed a cattle grid and entered access land, and the hedgerows receded.  On our left the hedgerow was replaced with gorse and on our right the hedgerow shrank in height.  There was a steep earthen bank with hedgerow atop it, clipped short.  We now enjoyed a magnificent view across the Barle valley, a view of yellows in the foreground and pastoral shades of green in the background, all of which meandered lazily as they followed  the wending river into Withypool.                                     Our view across the River Barle was one of the most colourful and magnificent views I have ever seen in this country and our journey, albeit along a road, was enjoyed thoroughly, and passed too quickly.  As we wound a bend the dwellings of Withypool came into sight and the road dipped steeply into the village. The road crossed the Barle over an attractive and ancient arched bridge.  Looking west the trees on the far side dipped into the water and on the nearside a path led along a cleared bank before disappearing into the dense foliage that followed the Barle.  Entering Withypool there was a small cafe on our right, adjacent to which was the smallest Shell garage I have ever seen – not much larger than the Wendy house at the foot of my garden.               Into Withypool   The Banks of the River Barle at Withypool           A “no through” road behind the village post office led through muddy fields emerging at a stile into Kitridge Lane.  We were now very hot, the sun shining in all its springtide glory.  To our right we could see over a river valley to the fields and woods beyond. We followed the road for what seemed a considerable distance and it then became a track after being dissected by Lanacre Lane, each side of which was richly endowed with typical Exmoor clumps of gorse and heath.  Crossing over the moorland expanse there were terrific views over the Barle valley to our south as it snaked ever nearer the path.  At last the path ran alongside the banks of the Barle, just before reaching Pickerstones Wood, the fringes of which it skirted, and where a choice had to be made whether to follow the path north west to Simonsbath (the alternative route) or whether to stay with the main route and take the path south west towards Cornham.  This was the preferred route.               Very small garage at Withypool   Leaving Withypool and joining Kitridge Lane           The River Barle is crossed at a small wooden bridge, after which the rural views became less spectacular as the path neared Horsen Farm, where it merged with the farm lane which then joined a minor road.  At Blue Gate Farm we turned left at a T junction and continued for only a hundred yards or so before turning right to head out across access land and leave behind us roads, lanes and populated areas for a while (save for one minor road we would encounter a few miles ahead).     Setting off across the access land, with no visible track after the first 100 yards we journeyed on a compass setting of 312 degrees in the direction of Burcombe and Cornham Ford.  We felt secure in this isolated domain only because the weather was so clear and dry.  Had it been wet or misty the risk of straying from our path would have been considerable.    We entered a steep and narrow valley which took us to Cornham Ford and to a footbridge and we then made our way up the opposite valley side and left the open land, joining a track through Cornham Farm and onto the B3358, which we crossed onto a grassy field.  There was no track here and we headed North East on a compass bearing of 40 degrees in the direction of Tangs Bottom, where we would look out for red deer, which apparently frequent the area.  The noisy yapping of dog kennels to our right insulted our ears for a short while but soon the kennels were left behind. Our route took us downhill to a track and we there found and crossed Blue Water, a small Exmoor stream.  We were afforded a magnificent view along the Blue Water valley and could see Titchcombe bungalow on a hill in the distance.               Looking north east towards Conrham Ford   Looking towards Exe Head and Tangs Bottom           Tangs Bottom soon materialised.  Tangs Bottom is a steep valley running south from Exe Head, along the western flank of Dure Down.  Its valley margins were densely festooned with a luxuriant growth of trees and there was a clear view up the valley to Exe Head as it rose steeply in the distance.  We could also see over Dure Down, which displayed a mixture of grasslands and heath. We had, for a while, been looking out for yellow topped posts which we understood marked our path across the Downs, and at last one materialised in the distance, confirming to us that we were on the correct path.  Our route was over rough pasture with scatterings of reeds and gorse. We were generally following the direction of Tangs Bottom as it inclined towards Exe Head. Exe Head dominated the view ahead.  Our path edged closer to the valley margins of Tang’s Bottom, which became increasingly precipitous and pleasing to look at.  Looking back we could see a deep tree-lined valley leading to a wilderness beyond, which faded in the haze of the day.               Looking across Tangs Bottom to Dure Down   Looking along Tangs Bottom               Looking back along Tangs Bottom   Tangs Bottom           A path joined us from the left and we re-entered access land and followed a fence on our right until reaching a broad path – the Tarka Trail – which we turned right upon, and passed through a gate and another at which we turned left.  The small wet area by the gate is in fact the watershed separating the River Exe which flows east, from the waters falling into Hoar Oak Water to the north, and is known as Exe Head.               Nearing Exe Head   Meeting the path from the left               Looking across Tangs Bottom to Dure Down   Tangs Bottom from Exe Head           Exe Head contained a white flowering array of watercress, sparkling beneath the glinting shallow water collecting here, notwithstanding the aridity of the day.  We would now be following the new steep sided valley opening up before us to the north, and sharing our path with the Tarka Trail.               The TMW follows a fence before joining the Tarka Trail   Looking back towards Cornham               Joining the Tarka Trail at Exe Head   Exe Head cross roads           As we descended the valley between Exe Plain and Hoaroak Plain we came to the fords where the river we were following merged with the Hoaroak Water which flowed from the west along Long Chains Combe.  Looking along this Combe provided splendorous views of the steep v-shaped valley.  We could see along the valley for miles.  Flowing along the valley bottom could be seen the white glistening waters of the Hoaroak as it found its way between the rocks of the valley.  The fords were low and easy to cross.  The gurgling of their waters sang to us a wistful lullaby and provided yet another temptation to while away a few hours.  We could well imagine the pleasure of bathing our feet in their waters while we exposed our skins to the sun.           After crossing the fords we walked along and above Hoaroak Water, looking out for the well-known Hoar Oak tree.  En route I spotted a solitary tree, newly foliated and mistakenly believed it to be the Hoar Oak tree, such was its dominance it this valley.  As we neared, however, I saw it to be a mountain ash, and felt rather abashed in front of my sister, to whom I had identified the tree as an oak.                                  In time we came to a steep, right angled turn down the valley elevation, and on the opposite side we could see the Hoar Oak tree, fenced for protection.  I crossed the Hoaroak by balancing along a tree trunk that had been conveniently placed, while Carol sought a less precarious crossing further downstream.  This took her quite a while, and I eventually had to help her across.  The Hoar Oak tree had survived since its planting in 1917.  There has been an oak tree on this site since at least 1610               Long Chains Water   Ford at Long Chains Water               Rowan Tree near Hoar Oak Water   Crossing Hoark Oak Water to the Hoar Oak Tree               The Hoar Oak Tree   Cheriton Ridge           After studying the tree for a few seconds we passed through a gate on our left and proceeded at an angle up the slopes of Cheriton Ridge following a compass bearing of 358 degrees.  This was to become my favourite part of the Two Moors Way.  My experience on Cheriton Ridge was truly electrifying. As we crested the ridge and joined a wide and well-traveled path the warm summer air whispering through the grasses produced a mysterious whispering sound.  Skylarks were melodiously singing around us and the descending springtide sun was gleaming its warmth all around.  The distant mewing of herring gulls could be heard as they soared inland from the Bristol Channel at Lynmouth, still some miles away and there was a salty fragrance in the warm breeze that wafted across our faces.  But more than this; whether it was our imaginations or whether the magnetic force of a Ley line I do not know.  I know only that our spirits were lifted to a point of ecstasy as we traveled Cheriton Ridge.  We felt refreshed despite the considerable miles we had traveled this day; our spirits felt revived and we enjoyed an intense feeling of joy and happiness.  It seemed to us that we were upon an ancient highway that exuded an energy-laden power that could be enjoyed by all those who traveled it.               Cheriton Ridge   Approaching Cheriton from the Ridge           Cheriton Ridge was far too short.  We could see our path funneling before us as the valleys each side closed.  But while we were upon the ridge we savoured the experience and enjoyed the vast panoramic views in each direction.  Our path eventually came to an end in rough ground just above the village of Cheriton, where it became a stone track and then a road.  The rest of the route could not surpass Cheriton Ridge in beauty but it was necessary to complete it and to do so quickly.  Not only would we be finishing the Two Moors Way today, but we would also be driving home – a four hour journey. We turned left along the road towards Scoresdown, where the path again crosses Hoaroak Water but this time via a bridge at Smallcombe.  Shortly after the bridge the path left the road and proceeded through the woodland of Combe Park along the west bank of Hoaroak Water.  After passing a hotel the path emerged at the A39 which it trailed for a short while as it followed the contours of the Hoaroak valley.  After a short walk there was a sharp hairpin bend in the road, after which the Two Moors Way left the road to continue along the wooded valley bank at a higher level to the A39 and the Hoaroak as they wended their way towards Lynmouth.               East Lynn River at Watersmeet   Bridge Pool at Watersmeet           The path climbed to an Iron Age fort at Myrtleberry South Camp.  An interesting diversion can be made from here to Watersmeet House, where the Hoaroak Water and the East Lyn River converge.                                               Hoar Oak Water at Watersmeet   Looking downstream at Watersmeet           After the Iron Age fort the path continued through Myrtleberry Cleave and Lyn Cleave.  The path ends its course as it enters Lynmouth near to the Bonnicott Hotel, at a small car park there.  The East Lyn River can now be followed into Lynmouth, where it empties from a small harbour into the Bristol Channel.  To the left and right on the coast can be seen huge cliffs.  After meeting up with Tanya, changing and eating, the three of us spent time looking around the shops and talking about our day’s journey.  And then we contemplated the drive home.  But in my mind I was already thinking about the next long distance footpath.               Glen Lynn Gorge   East Lynn River               East Lynn Harbour   Tide out at East Lynn harbour               Sea cliffs towards Lynmouth   Sea cliffs towards Lynton         Day 4 Introduction           Author - Roy McKee Copyright © Roy McKee 2006